Big increase in demand for mental health support

THERE’S been a significant increase in demand for mental health supports during Covid-19. That’s according to a survey by the Family Resource Centre (FRC) programme, which represents over 100 centres in Ireland.

The survey, which was carried out online in December, is a study of all Family Resource Centre staff, volunteers, and board members undertaken to identify trends in community demand for mental health supports and the well-being and professional development of such.

It found that 94 per cent of respondents reported an increase in demand for mental health supports in 2020. The main reason for people making contact for support was due to feeling isolated. This was followed by anxiety about mental health.

The survey showed that 99 per cent of staff and volunteers that completed the survey, felt that Covid-19 has had a negative effect on the well-being of service users, and 34 per cent of staff and volunteers that completed the survey, have used the Suicide Prevention Code of Practice in the last 12 months for supporting service users.

‘Covid-19 has had a damaging effect on mental health. The pandemic has led to the loss of loved ones, economic hardship, and feelings of increased isolation,’ says Shauna Diamond, national programme manager, FRC Mental Health Promotion Project. ‘Family Resource Centres across the country have witnessed this first-hand and have collectively felt a huge increase i n the demand for mental health supports.

‘Staff and volunteers have developed innovative solutions to maintain service delivery by organising counselling sessions online, outdoor support and care packages for families and older members of the community.’

The survey findings clearly indicate that FRCs are an ‘essential service’ in providing mental health supports and that ‘their role has become even more vital during the Covid-19 pandemic,’ says Diamond. For more, see familyresource.ie